Ink-well



(No Model.)

A. R. SPRAGUE.

INK WELL.

Patented June 25, 1889.

Invenz-orx 2% f UNITED i STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

ALMERIN R. SPRAGUE, OF RACINE, lVISCONSIN.

lNK-WELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405321, dated June 25, 1889.

Application filed March 14, 1889. Serial No. 303,295. (No model.)

To all whom, it may conccrn:

Be it known that I, ALMERIN R. SPRAGUE, a cit-izen of the United States, residing at Raeine, in the eounty of Raeine and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Inprove'nents in Ink-lVells, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ink-wells, and has reference more particularly to a novel construction of the cover of the same and the means for securing said cover in position, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspeetive view of a portion of a desk provided with my improved ink-well; Fig. 2, a sectional view of the same; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and (3, views illustrating slight modifications.

'The object of the present invention is to produce an ink-well that shall be simple and cheap in construetion, and one that shall be practically air-tight, preventing the evaporation of the ink and the accumulation of dust, &0.

A indicates a desk provided with a lole or opening a having a shoulder at its upper end to receive and support the well B. In the drawings I have shown the opening and the well as being ercular in cross-section, as this is the ordinary mode of making this class of ink-wells; but I do not wish to limit myself to this particular form of well or opening, as it is obvious that other forms may be substituted therefor.

C indicates the cover proper, which will advisably be made of east-iron, said cover being provided on its under face with a socket or recess to receive a packing-disk D, of rubber, leather, coi-k, or other suitably-yielding matcrial, which is adapted to fit closely over the mouth of the ink-well and prevent the entrance of air or dust.

The cover C may be provided with a handle b and with an ear c, which latter is connected to a spring E, secured to the desk-top by neans of a screw d, or in any equivalent manner. The connection of the cover to the spring 'is such as to permit the cover to swing laterally with reference to the spring, or to swing with the same.

If the cover is designed to swing or turn laterally with reference to the spring, as represented in Figs. 1 and 3, the top of the desk the top of the desk need not be recessed. In i the latter case the rivet connecting the cover with the spring should be angular in crosssection, as represented in Fig. 4,so as to prevent the cover from moving relatively to the spring. Even where the cover moves relatively to the spring it is not necessary to recess the top of the desk, the spring being secured to the upper face of the desk, as represented in Fig.

It is not essential that the ink-well be seated below the top of the desk, as it is apparent that it may be flush with the latter, as represented in Fig. 4.

\Vhen it is desi red to use the well, it is only necessary to raise the cover slightly, overcoming the resistance of the spring-arin E and to swig the cover laterall y either with reference to the spring or with the latter, according to whichever Construction may be adopted. The spring-arm exerts a downward pressure upon the' cover and holds the latter at all times down upon the top of the well, thereby etfecting a tight joint between the packing-disk D and the said well.

It is obvious that the packing D need not be in the form of a disk, as a packing-ring, as represented in Fig. l, may be used with equally good results, the use of the ring, however, requiring a slight change in the form of the socket or reccss in the under face of the cover.

In the Construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the spring-arm E is adapted to act also as a cover, said arm being provided with a packing D on its under face.

NVhere the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is adopted, I provide the desk with a lug or projection f, upon which the rear end of the spring shall rest, and which shallcause the spring to exert a downward pressure upon the packing when the latter is in position on the top of the well. A similarlug (shown in dotted lines in Fig. G) is adapted to receive the cover when it is moved laterally and to hold it up off the top of the desk.

I am aware that it has been proposed to encircle the pivot of an ink-well cover by a spiral spring, so as to hold the cover down upon the IOO mouth of the well, and I am also aware that an inkstand has been provided with a laterallyswingng cover and with a spring to return it to its normal position, and to these features, separately and broadly considered, I make no claim.

Having thus described ny invention, what I claim isv 1. In conbination with a desk 'having an ink-weil, a fiat spring-arm E, pivoted to the desk, and a cover sccured to the arm, all substantiall y as shown, the arin being adapted to Swing' laterally with reference to the ink-well and to exert a downward pressure thereon.

2. In combination with a desk provided with an ink-well B, a laterally-swingin g cover G, adapted to fit upon the top of the 'ink-well, and a fiat spring E, Secured at one end to the cover and at the opposite end to the desk and adapted to exert a downward pressure upon the cover.

3. In combination with a desk provided with an ink-well, alateraily-swinging cover C and a fiat spring E, secured at one end to the desk and pivotaliy connected at its other end with the cover, substantially as shown.

4.4 In combination with a desk provided with an ink-well havingits upper surface below the top of the desk, and provided also with a recess e, a spring E, seated in said recess, and a cap or cover O, pivotally connected With the free end of said spring, all substantialiy as shown.

In witness whereof I have herennto set ny hand in the presence of two witnesses.

WVitnesses:

4 L. B. BAKER,

JOHN H. HAP?. 

